Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

To be fair about this, the relationship between the GRA and the Minister of the day has been antagonistic for a number of years. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in the last Government had a big row with the GRA as it was about to deliver a condemnatory address. This happened before the Minister's time in office but it serves no one's interest that it continues. I appeal to both the Minister and the GRA that these issues must be resolved. We cannot continue to have megaphone diplomacy. It is great for headlines, it will get the media interested, but it terrible for the morale of gardaí on the ground. When I met gardaí on the beat they tell me, like they tell every Deputy, they do not have the personnel or the vehicles and that they are not happy about the closure of Garda stations. These gardaí, who are on the front line, are raising legitimate issues. The Minister might not be able to solve all of their problems but we must deal with this relationship breakdown that started with the previous Government and has continued into this Administration.

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